Automobiles of the 1950s
Would you have believed that once the 50s began, cars, which were by and large driven by low-compression sixes that required tetraethyl lead for upper cylinder head lubrication, unless you used a light machine oil, and which looked much like ladder-frame bodies with fenders and quarter panels hung off them, would’ve ended as it did?
At the end of the 50s, there were automobiles like the Chevrolet BelAir that used a small-block V-8 that was available and the Caddy was the “King of the Road,” as they say, since it sported a big-block V-8 that cranked out a whopping 300 horsepower. For fans of American classic cars, these 50s cars typified the optimistic era.
The Chevrolet Corvette Appears
The big changes came when Chevy unveiled the ‘Vette in ’53 and clay mockups of newer models like the Ford Thunderbird were going around the design studios of Detroit. The 55/56 Thunderbird proved to be one of the more exciting vehicles of the 1950s although it wasn’t the greatest car on earth (a Ford Custom 6 chassis), it still looked incredible and it was just what the marketing departments had requested. Indeed, it answered the call by many buyers for 2-seaters, in addition to family roadsters. The need for the two-seat was established by the number of vets who returned from Europe with thoughts of coupes dancing in their hearts.
The Corvette as well as the Thunderbird, though, led to another request and that would be a requirement for speed. Not only did people want vehicles that looked as if they were fresh and modern but additionally they wanted cars that could perform. Few people probably are aware that even though the first modern V8 motor was the 1932 Ford V-8, the well known Chrysler hemi (hemispherical combustion chamber) debuted in ’51 and remained in the lineup until 1958. It was the powerplant of the famed 300M of the time. In fact, Chrysler and Dodge were hot competitors for Ford and General Motors and they really did hold their own.
The first half of the decade, Detroit was playing catch-up, during the latter years, they were offering cars that people appeared to want. Features were transforming as quad headlights made their debut on the 1957/8 Cadillac and large fins, reminiscent of the rudders and tails of the jet planes that were a modern marvel, thus you had the 1958/9 Cadillac with its large fins. Chevrolet tried having single fin and later in the decade turned the fin horizontal for the release of the ’59s, but by ’60, the fin was starting to rapidly decline in size, it was about extinct – that is the huge fin – small fins continued to make their appearances right through the 60s and there were a couple that appeared in the 1970s.
Changes in the Late 50s
Perhaps the biggest change of course in design, and with it a fresh school of designers, was shown by the 1958 Chevy BelAir. The quad lights were apparent as was the small-block 289, and they were the minor changes. The major changes came in the lines where the tail became a smooth deck with taillights that weren’t just an add-on. Yes, Chevy did a great job with the 1956 Bel Air/Nomad however the 1958 demonstrated what was to come – smooth lines, quad headlights and rounded fenders and rear quaters.
Talk about a decade of changes: from the slow six that turned into a huge V8 and from cars where things that were led by committee to real designs fulfilling consumer needs, the 50s was quite a decade.
